Belper Greens candidate John Devine was interviewed by BBC TV at the EMGP conference in Nottingham yesterday.

Several members of the Mid Derbyshire Greens attended the conference which had over three times as many people as expected turn up! This really reflects the overall surge in local Green Party membership as well as nationally – which has grown to more than 25,000, with the number of young greens more than doubling! This has a lot to do with young voters increasingly wanting to make their voices heard on the subjects of austerity, education and the Citizens Income.

Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Green Party will be visiting Belper tomorrow (Monday 17th Nov) to meet with students studying Government and Politics at Belper School & Sixth Form Centre and to later host a public meeting and Q&A session at No. 28 in the Belper Market Place (7 pm until 8:30 pm – All welcome).

Please contact John Devine (07932 576159) or Sue MacFarlane (07774 004240) for more details. Both candidates will be present at tomorrow’s public meeting.

Membership of the Green Party has surged up 46% this year and just passed 20,000 for the first time. This increase is mirrored by rising poll rating (1) which sees the Greens consistently polling 7%, level pegging with the LibDems. The Green Party outperformed the Liberal Democrats in the May 2014 European Elections both in terms of MEPs returned and percentage of the total vote [3]

The Green surge shows no sign of slowing. The Party plans to stand in at least 75% of seats at the 2015 General Election – 50% more than in 2010 (4). Campaigning is already underway to significantly increase the number of Green Councilors in the local elections that will poll at the same time as the general election.

Commenting on these figures, Green Party target candidate for Hope Valley in the High Peak, Charlotte Farrell said: ‘The surge in membership does not surprise me, the traditional Parties are bankrupt of ideas and their policies continue to make life worse for all but the very rich. What particularly encourages me is the surge in membership of the Young Greens which has rocketed up by 100% since March this year (2). Young Greens can get fully involved in the working of the Green Party helping us to keep up to date and relevant policy, and to represent the Party as candidates.’

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said: “These astounding across-the-board membership rises clearly demonstrate that more and more people appreciate that the Green Party is the only party committed to transforming our economy and shaking up business-as-usual Westminster politics. The Green Party warmly welcomes all the new members. Members are the lifeblood of the Green Party, a truly democratic party which allows all members to help form policy.”

Siobhan MacMahon, Young Greens co-chair, said: “The growth of the Young Greens this year has been spectacular. We have doubled in size since March alone to nearly 4,000 members – significantly larger than the Liberal Democrat’s youth wing. Thousands were inspired through the European elections, Green Party conference and even the Scottish referendum, that brought home to young people the Greens’ vision of a genuine progressive alternative to the same-old right-wing politics of the coalition parties, as well as Labour and UKIP.

The Green Party is consistently polling at over 10% among 16-24 year olds. Young Greens are attracted by Green polices that call for free education, affordable and publicly-owned transport, an end to migrant-bashing and a halt to the continual attacks on young people. The Party recognises that the youth of Britain have been at the sharp end of austerity, and are badly affected by the crisis in affordable housing. It is also the young generation who will have to live with the full effects of climate change and resource depletion.

Charlotte concluded by saying: ‘The Young Greens’ 100% growth this year is testament to a sea-change going on in politics. New groups are springing up across the country every week, campaigning on the issues that really matter to this generation, but that are ignored by the mainstream parties. We are campaigning for policies that will build and fair and sustainable future that will work for the common good of all.’